An optimised technique for the preparation of honey sacs of Apis mellifera L.

An optimised technique for the preparation of honey sacs of Apis mellifera L.

Author(s)

Jana E Reetz and Klaus Wallner

Abstract

In the past, significant questions about the foraging behaviour of honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) as well as morphological aspects have been studied by analysing the honey sac (honey stomach or crop) extract. Various techniques have been used for the preparation of the honey-sac. Gary and Lorenzen (1976) as well as Sylvester et al. (1983) have reviewed earlier techniques used for honey sac preparation. The earliest technique of honey sac preparation for the discrimination between nectar and water foragers was described as killing and manually dissecting the honey bee to reveal the honey sac, or to lead the honey bee to regurgitate a drop of honey sac contents on a filter paper by gently pressure on the abdomen (Park, 1929) or squeezing the abdomen of living bees (Lindauer, 1954). To evaluate the intake of foraging goods into honey bee colonies, Markosyan (1955, cited in Gary and Lorenzen, 1976) differentiated by weighing in- and outgoing foraging honey bees.

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